


The Musings of Moneypenny

by Rivermoon1970



Category: James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: 007 Fest, Connery'sBond, F/M, Future Moneypenny, MI6 Cafe, Original Moneypenny, Retiring Eve, Slice of Life, Team Civillian, musings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-01 13:59:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15144614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivermoon1970/pseuds/Rivermoon1970
Summary: Eve Moneypenny was close to retiring and starts to think back on all that she has seen and done over her time as M's secretary, bodyguard, right-hand 'man'. She is training her protege and sees a bit of herself in the young woman, but Eve has something very special to look forward to at home, so it isn't all bad thoughts, just a lot of introspection.





	The Musings of Moneypenny

Eve Moneypenny sat down at her desk and watched her protege reading through all of the MI6 manuals, which Eve had to quietly laugh over. The manuals often got thrown out the window when working with crazy agents, Q-Branch shenanigans, and M. 

Moneypenny watched as 00’s came and went, but not the one that she always waited to see. There have been many 007’s over the years, all taking on the moniker of James Bond. The name meant something, and each Bond over the years was extraordinarily special. As she picked at her food she knew her time at MI6 was almost over, she felt the years on her like an old blanket that’s falling apart, but you just don’t have the heart to get rid of it. She had never had the heart to get rid of MI6 from her life. Sure, it was often taxing keeping everything going. She was more than just M’s secretary and the only one who seemed to get that was Bond.

Smiling down at her lunch, she mused on the first day of the first Bond. He was charismatic, intelligent, very Alpha male, and a complete and utter chauvinistic prat. Eve laughed and had to remind herself that it was the 60’s. Women had a long way to go before they had any of the same rights as men. 

When Olivia became M, Eve was surprised that the good ole’ boys club actually did something decent for a change. Then, the first couple of female agents, who were just as good and in many cases, better than their male counterparts. 

Even Eve’s position had grown from simple secretary to project management. She helped wrangle the 00’s, and did a hundred little things from them on a daily basis that they didn’t even realise she did. Eve preferred it that way. She didn’t need the recognition or the praise from her agents for all that she did, but when 007 came to her office to flirt, or shamelessly try to get into her pants, she also got recognition for her hard work. Plus, it didn’t hurt that Bond always came with flowers.

No matter what James was, underneath all of the bravado was a gentleman at heart. Well, her James that is. All of them had been suave in some way, but there was just something about her James that Eve couldn’t resist. She flirted the most with him, and shamelessly. Then he had retired. She had watched him walk away, broken and bleeding inside from all that he had seen and done over his long career with MI6. 

She knew he had wooed and taken to bed many women over the course of his career, all of them had. The other 00’s had joked and called them Bond’s women. Many never got over him, some even died to protect him, and a time or two they had tried to kill him. Eve ate her salad by rote, not really tasting it as she continued to muse. She was feeling a bit melancholy as her thoughts wandered through her own long career. 

“Miss Moneypenny.”

Eve’s protege stood and come to her desk.

“Yes, Cherise?”

“I’ve gone over all of this. What is it you’d like me to do now?”

Eve looked down at her salad, not even really wanting it anymore, she closed it up and sighed. 

“Come on dear. We are going to see how you are at shooting, and hand-to-hand combat.”

“But I thought I was going to be M’s assistant.”

“You think this is a cushy job? My dear, I had to defend M several times against an attacker. Just because I wear a skirt and heels doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself and M. You’ll need to do the same. Now, I saw your shooting scores and they were very good. I want to see for myself just what it is you can do.”

Eve lifted her head, her hairstyle was a closer cut than she used to have, but time and age comes to everyone. She was grayer, but it was the kind of silver white that many women, even younger ones, envied. Eve still wore impeccable suits, and wouldn’t give up her heels for anyone. Though her heels were special. Hidden blades had been put into every pair by Boothroyd. Eve sighed when she had thought about the Quartermaster. She missed him terribly, but she wasn’t going to cry, not here and now. She was a strong and formidable women, even in her golden years.

Eve moved through Q-Branch like she had owned it and nobody, not even the current Q would stop her. She procured several weapons from them, then took her protege to the firing range. They spent a good part of the afternoon shooting a variety of weapons. Cherise had been shocked at Eve’s skill.

“Yes, my dear. I am quite the crack shot. James wouldn’t let me be any less you know.”

“You know Bond?” Cherise asked with wide eyes. The stories had already gotten to her ears and Eve, once again, sighed.

“I have known them all young lady. Now, we still have some work to do. Come along.” Eve walked towards the gymnasium and the two women changed into close fitting workout clothes. One of the trainers was there, he smiled at Eve, then at Cherise.

“Miss Moneypenny. What would you like to work on today?”

Eve might have been approaching her golden years, but that did not mean she had lost all her moves. Her latest obsession was Krav Maga. 

“I think we’ll show Cherise here some Krav Maga. I know she is quite skilled in several forms of Karate and hand-to-hand, but I think she should see what we can do.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” The trainer smiled as the two of them started to spar, Cherise dropping her jaw as she watched Eve take him down several times. She cried out once when Eve landed particuarly hard on her back.

“I’m quite all right, dear. Come on Tom, help me up.” Tom laughed because he knew full well that Eve could have gotten up all on her own. “Now, young lady, come here and have good ole’ Tom here show you some simple moves.”

“Wait, but, are you alright?”

Eve laughed as he brushed off her workout clothes.

“As I stated, I am quite all right. Just because I am old, doesn’t mean I don’t still stay in shape. Now, get to it.”

Cherise shook her head, and the three of them spent the next couple of hours doing some training. After cleaning up and going back upstairs, Eve felt all of her years on her as walked behind her protege.

“You’re very good. But, you are also cocky. You have to lose that attitude if you want to take my place. There will be times that you’ll have to back up one of the 00’s so you need to be ready. Your first and highest priority, though, is M.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Training is your friend. I will set-up a schedule for time on the shooting range as well as with several of the personal trainers. You need to keep your body as sharp as your mind. Do you understand?”

“I think so. This is all a little daunting. I didn’t really understand what I was getting into when you picked me.”

Eve stopped and crossed her arms, Cherise stopped as well when she realised her boss wasn’t next to her.

“Are you not up to this task, Cherise? Because I can tell you there were twenty-five other’s who would have killed, some literally, for this position.”

“No, I mean, yes. Yes I am, ma’am. It’s just...”

“A lot to take in?”

Cherise sighed and nodded.

“Yes. It is.”

Eve took the few steps to come even with Cherise. She linked her arm around the younger woman’s and started to walk with her.

“You are going to be tasked with not only keeping M’s schedule, but keeping the 00’s in line, and M’s safety. Her right hand, so to speak. You will have to know what she wants before she realises she wants it. Yes, that means you are going to have to become a mind reader. The one that will always give you the most trouble, no matter who he had been before, will be 007. I don’t know what it is about that particular designation that attracts the ones that are the most dangerous, but it does. You will have to know when to stand up to him and tell him to fuck off, or track his ass down when M wants him. 

“And, this last piece of advice is something you might think ridiculous, but after a few years at this job, you’ll understand. Never forget who you are. Never forget your own name, or your family. When I leave, you, young lady, will become Eve Moneypenny, just like I did after my own mentor left. Your true name will be scrubbed form every single file from you military career to MI6. But, keep your identity close, because if you lose yourself to this place, you’ll never find your way back.”

Eve only let Cherise go when they got to the office. Files needed finishing, schedules needed updating, and a new Q was going to have to be found. Looking towards M’s office, Eve could see that her boss wasn’t feeling her best. Getting up she went to the small kitchenette close by and fixed a plate of sandwiches, no crusts and cut just so, a tray of tea and some sweet biscuits. When it was ready she took everything into M’s office and set it out on the small table by the window.

“Ma’am, you need a break. Come and have something to nosh and a good cuppa then you’ll feel better.”

M stood and smiled at Eve.

“Thank you, Moneypenny. That looks lovely.”

“Might I wager that I know what it is that has given you that headache?” Eve walked over to a cupboard and took out a bottle of medicine. “Here, some advil. Eat first, take those and no alcohol for two hours. Now, was it Bond?”

M chuffed as she picked up her tea and took a long drink sighing in relief.

“Yes. As always. But, don’t worry, it’ll be dealt with.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Eve started to walk out of the office when she was called back in.

“Eve, do you remember who you were before you started here?”

Eve smiled softly as she walked back and sat down across from M.

“Yes, I do ma’am. That was one thing my mentor taught me. Never forget who I was before and to always keep it close. Why?”

“Sometimes I have trouble remembering.”

Eve didn’t have any sage words of advice for M, all she could do was sit there for a moment and let M ruminate.

“How many Bond’s have there been now?” 

“Seven, Ma’am.”

“You’ve seen them all, haven’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Did you...” M set her cup down and looked out the window towards the Thames. Not that they could see it clearly, but it was the general direction.

“Have a favorite?”

M looked back at Eve and nodded.

“I do. But that is between him and me. I take it that the current James Bond is somewhat of a favorite of yours? Because you seem to give him a lot more leeway and you often go out of your way to see that he gets back in one piece. I seem to remember the previous Bond...”

“That is a discussion that I think we need to not visit at the moment. Don’t you, Miss Moneypenny?” And there it was. The hard driven Olivia Mansfield that refused to discuss her mistakes and failures. Eve sometimes visited Killian, who had turned angry and bitter after he left Her Majesty’s service. The man had married, but the things that had happened to him never left him and he had not let them go. It was a wonder to Eve that he hadn’t turned on M, especially after having been locked up for more than a year in a North Korean prison.

Eve looked at the table and thought about the negotiation she had originally put together. One that M had rejected. Eve and M had fought horribly over her decision to leave Killian in North Korea. Eve knew it was a sore subject to bring up, M knew Eve’s mind on the matter, it was one that would never be resolved between them. Killian, the fifth James Bond, didn’t come back from that the same. It broke Eve’s heart a little to see him so angry. She understood why he felt betrayed and when he stood in M’s office, a gun to her head with Eve standing behind him pointing her own weapon at him, she knew Killian was done for. Shooting him in the knee had not been what Eve had wanted, but it save both lives. It also put Killian out of the field and a new 007 had to be found. 

The unspoken argument stayed that way as Eve stood and left Olivia to her regrets.

“Cherise, why don’t you go home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Eve packed up and headed out to her car. Getting in it she took out her phone and marked off another day on her calendar. Twelve more days till her retirement. She sat there a moment reflecting on the people she had lost over the years. The most recent having been Boothroyd. She had not expected for her James to be there, but he had shown up, looking better than he should have for his age.

_ “James.” Eve smiled sadly as she looked down at the coffin. _

_ “Eve, my dear. Do you think now you’ll accept my invitation?” _

_ Eve laughed as she leaned into James’ still strong arms, holding her close. She pondered for only a moment as she watched the men filling in the grave.  _

_ “Yes. We’ll go have that drink.” _

_ “On one condition,” James said, his thick Scottish brogue charming her as it had done some many years prior. _

_ “And what is that?” _

_ “You tell me your real name.” _

_ Eve laughed despite the situation. _

_ “Marie. Marie Stanton.” _

_ “Marie. That is even prettier than Eve.” Eve leaned against James and finally let herself feel what she had refused to all those years ago. “I guess now would be the time to tell you that I love you, Marie Stanton. I have for a long time, but I knew that I had the power to hurt you. I never wanted to see tears in your eyes.” _

_ “James. You daft old fool.” Eve buried her head against James’ chest, her heart swelled at the confession. “I love you to you stupid git.” _

_ James’ rumbling laugher soothed her broken heart. Losing Boothroyd had been difficult, but it brought her back to her James. _

Eve smiled at the memory as she started her car and eased out of the parking garage and into London traffic. She made it home, though it was late and she was tired. Opening the door, her cat, Chrysanthemum, Chrys for short, came to greet her. Eve got down on her knees for a cuddle.

“She’s been looking for you for the last hour.” James’ voice made Eve, no not Eve. Not here in her home with James. She was Marie. Marie Bond, a woman married to the first and original James Bond. 

“Hello, Love.” Eve stood and let herself be enveloped in James’ arms. 

“Hello. Come on, I have some stew on the stove and some soda bread just out of the oven.”

Twelve days, Eve thought to herself then she would be free and her and James were going to travel the world, both with new eyes. No missions, no enemies knocking at the door, no late nights worrying if  _ he  _ was going to come home because they both already were.


End file.
